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Many of the best chasers in training are among the entries announced today for the 2012 running of the world's most famous Jump race, the John Smith's Grand National.
This year's contest, taking place at Aintree on Saturday, April 14, has record prize money of £975,000 and among those engaged are Synchronised (16/1 co-favourite with Betfred), a runaway winner of the Grade One Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28, Weird Al, who captured the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in October, and Midnight Chase, successful in the Grade Two Argento Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Past Aintree form is understandably well represented and the 2011 winner, Weird Al's stablemate Ballabriggs (16/1 co-favourite with Betfred), is one of two previous John Smith's Grand National heroes in the field along with Mon Mome, who sprang a 100/1 surprise in 2009.
No less than 31 of the 82 entries are trained in Ireland and the country's champion trainer Willie Mullins, successful in the 2005 John Smith's Grand National with Hedgehunter, accounts for 12 of those including Apt Approach, winner of the Grade Two Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles on January 19.
On His Own, a facile winner of the Goffs Thyestes Chase on January 26, Quel Esprit, who captured the Grade Three Phil Sweeney Memorial Chase at Thurles on January 7, and The Midnight Club, who finished sixth when sent off favourite for last year's John Smith's Grand National, are also among the Mullins dozen.
County Clare handler Noel Glynn is hoping that Becauseicouldntsee, (33/1 with Betfred) who fell at the second fence in last year's John Smith's Grand National, can fare considerably better in the 2012 race over four and a half miles and 30 fences.
The nine-year-old is set to run in the National Trial at Punchestown on Sunday as a stepping stone to Aintree.
Glynn reported: “The John Smith's Grand National is the plan again for Becauseicouldntsee and I hope that we get a bit further than last year! Hopefully, he will run in the National Trial at Punchestown on Sunday and we will take it from there.
“For such a good jumper, he had two nasty falls last year including at Leopardstown over Christmas, when he would have been there or thereabouts. He hurt his hip during that race but it's all sorted now and he is moving good.
“I am just a little afraid that those falls might have affected him mentally, so I am just hoping that he can post a clear round on Sunday to get his confidence back.
“He had no sort of preparation for Aintree last season after suffering a cut leg and we would love to get him back there.”
Other Irish-trained entries include the Shark Hanlon-trained Alfa Beat, who was bought for £75,000 in May by America's champion Jump owner Irv Naylor as a John Smith's Grand National prospect. The eight-year-old won the Kerry National at Listowel in September.
The Arthur Moore-trained Organisedconfusion won the 2011 Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, while the rapidly-improving Seabass, winner of the Grade A Leopardstown Handicap Chase on Saturday, has been entered by trainer Ted Walsh, who landed the 2000 John Smith's Grand National with Papillon.
Somerset-based handler David Pipe won the 2008 John Smith's Grand National with Comply Or Die and he is responsible for Junior (16/1 co-favourite with Betfred), who missed the cut for last year's contest.
The Henrietta Knight-trained Calgary Bay and Shakalakaboomboom from Nicky Henderson's stable are a progressive duo who filled the first two places in Saturday's Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.
Hold On Julio, a late withdrawal from the Sky Bet Chase, has easily won both his starts for trainer Alan King, who has also engaged West End Rocker, winner of the Betfred Becher Chase over the National fences at Aintree on December 3.
Others with winning form over the National fences include Always Waining, winner of the John Smith's Topham Chase in 2010 and 2011, and Stewarts House, winner of the Betfred Grand Sefton Handicap Chase in December.
Le Beau Bai, winner of the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow on December 27, has been engaged along with Giles Cross and the Evan Williams-trained Cappa Bleu, who respectively finished second and third in the race. Cappa Bleu's stablemate State Of Play, who has respectively finished fourth, third and fourth in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 John Smith's Grand Nationals, is on course to appear again at Aintree this year.
Meanwhile, high-class hunter-chaser Roulez Cool, owned, trained and bred by Robert Waley-Cohen and ridden by his son Sam, could carry the colours of last year's runner-up Oscar Time.
The 2012 John Smith's Grand National will be the first renewal since entry requirements were tightened. Only horses aged seven or above can now compete and every runner must have been placed in the first four of a chase of three miles or more by March 20 and be rated 120 or above.
A maximum field of 40 again looks assured for this year's race with all of the runners likely to be in the handicap.
Julian Thick, Managing Director at Aintree Racecourse, commented: “The build-up really gets underway for the 2012 John Smith's Grand National with today's publication of entries.
“We are delighted to see so many proven top-class chasers and winners of high-profile races engaged alongside a whole host of progressive younger horses in an entry that boasts great strength in depth.
“The number of entries is down on last year, but we believe that this is a testament to the status of the race these days. Owners and trainers are now taking a more selective approach to the horses they enter, as the increasing quality of the runners we attract to the John Smith's Grand National means that lower rated horses no longer have any prospect of a run. The list of horses entered this year reinforces that fact and suggests we can look forward to a stunning renewal on April 14.”
The weights for the 2012 John Smith's Grand National, compiled especially for the race by British Horseracing Authority Head of Handicapping Phil Smith, are announced at the Grand National Launch in London on Tuesday, February 14.
Betfred betting: 16/1 Ballabriggs, Junior, Synchronised; 20/1 Calgary Bay, Midnight Chase, on His Own, Quel Esprit, West End Rocker; 25/1 According to Pete, Always Right, Apt Approach, Burton Port, Cappa Bleu, Chicago Grey, Deep Purple, Hold on Julio, Little Josh, Planet of Sound, Prince De Beauchene, Roulez Cool, Seabass, Shakalakaboomboom, the Midnight Club; 33/1 Alfa Beat, Always Waining, Backstage, Becauseicouldntsee, Cooldine, Giles Cross, Hector's Choice, Killyglen, Le Beau Bai, Neptune Collonges, Niche Market, Organisedconfusion, Pearlysteps, Quantitativeeasing, Quiscover Fontaine, Roberto Goldback, State of Play, Stewarts House, Sunnyhillboy, Treacle, Viking Blond, Weird Al; 40/1 Arbor Supreme, Ballyvesey, Blazing Tempo, Fair Along, Massini's Maguire, Mon Mome, Neptune Equester, Our Island, Postmaster, Rare Bob, Some Target, Tatenen, the Package, Uncle Junior, Vic Venturi; 50/1 Abbeybraney, Another Palm, Any Currency, Black Apalachi, Hello Bud, in Compliance, King Fontaine, Midnight Haze, Northern Alliance, Qhilimar, Saddlers Storm, Shakervilz, Swing Bill, Tartak, Tharawaat, Wymott; 66/1 Crescent Island, Minella Theatre, Psycho, Schindler's Gold, Scotsirish, Smoking Aces
EACH WAY 1/4 ODDS A PLACE 1-2-3-4. ALL QUOTED